Our series this month is: If Stones Could Talk
The underlying theme is that of remembering. The Bible often uses stones (or pillars) to focus our attention upon some person, place, event or moment.

We are looking at the four stone pillars that are associated with the Jewish patriarch, Jacob, and drawing lessons that we can apply to our lives today.
Jacob was not a perfect person but yet about one dozen times in the Bible we read a phrase spoken by God in Exodus 3:15.
The name speaks of the covenant God made with His chosen people, the Hebrews. Jacob's life teaches us that despite our sin and selfishness, God still loves us.

Today we continue to follow Jacob as he and his family make their 600 mile trek home. Along the way, Jacob and his family face a number of painful and tragic trials, but God's faithfulness never wavers.
His journey reveals a number of lessons that he learns along the way, thus the title of this week's message...Growing through our Going.
We've all learned lessons from the tragedies and hard times we've encountered in life.

Today we look at the third stone, The Pillar of TRANSFORMATION and our text is Genesis 35:1-15.

Last week we left Jacob in Genesis 31 as he began his 600 mile journey back to the Promised Land.
Jacob followed the instructions of the Lord as he managed all of these people and the dangers and tough times that came with the journey. The journey was slow going, but yet we see evidence that Jacob was growing slowly.

In Genesis 32-34 we get the background to chapter 35. We see that Jacob's steps of faith provided him with opportunities to deepen his relationships with God and with his family.
But we also see that this time provided new problems for Jacob.
- an encounter with his estranged brother Esau which Jacob didn't handle very well
- another encounter with God that humbled him and the Lord changed his name from Jacob to Israel

The name Jacob means: "one who takes the place of another, often through cunning or strategic means. In other words, a deceiver or conniver."
The name Israel means: "God prevails" This shows that God is able to change one's character and destiny to accomplish His will.

But growth is not always instantaneous, it happens slowly as we go through life learning the lessons God has for us.
In our background chapters, we see Jacob setting aside God's directives as he decided to stay in central Israel for a few years instead of returning to his family as God instructed.
This hesitation and resistance to continue the path God had revealed to Jacob led to incredible pain (daughter raped, two sons were murderers and thieves, and reputation of Jacob, his family, and his God were trashed).

All of this leads to Genesis 35:1-15 where we see God giving Jacob a new beginning. Along his 1,200 + mile/20 + year journey, Jacob learned some tough lessons.
Many of us are just like Jacob in that we are Growing through our Going!

1. God DELIGHTS in restoring His children.
Genesis 35:1

2. God EXPECTS transformation as evidence of their faith.
Genesis 35:2-4
Question: If you were God, looking at your life - What area(s) would He want to see change?

3. God KEEPS His promises no matter what we face.
Genesis 35:5-8
Genesis 28:15
We have to trust the promises of God and do what the Lord asks of us.

4. God REVEALS the next step of His plan when we obey the current step.
Genesis 35:9-15

CLOSING:
This week do some assessment of your life. Where do you find yourself? What positive steps will you take?

1. Running from your problems
2. Making a bunch of bad choices and suffering the consequences
3. Living for this world and your whims
4. Trusting God each day for guidance
5. Obeying what the Lord has already revealed to you
6. Serving faithfully in the midst of your unpleasant circumstances
7. Worshipping the Lord with a full heart
8. Reorganizing and cleaning up your life
9. Influencing others to follow God